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Rockefeller Archive Center Documentation

Internship Program Overview

The Rockefeller Archive Center and the City College of New York partner to run an internship program for City College undergraduates.

History of the Internship Program

The RAC-CCNY Internship Program is designed to introduce undergraduates to the archival profession and to empower diverse voices in the field. We strive to make our interns know their perspectives are valued and that they play an important role as staff members.

The Program began in 2018. Partnering with the City College of New York gives the RAC the opportunity to work with talented and inspiring students who are interested in exploring the archival profession as a potential career path. Each semester, two interns are selected and immersed in a professional work environment as paid staff members.

The program can be implemented in remote, in-person, or hybrid work environments and is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students are expected to work 12-15 hours per week. Interested applicants submit a cover letter and resume and are invited to be interviewed by a panel of staff from the RAC and CCNY.

Purpose

The interns should feel empowered to take ownership of their work and tap into their curiosity about the archival profession and find their place within it. They should feel they are a fully immersed staff member for the duration of their time as an intern.

The aim is to provide a flexible, supportive structure, so the interns are learning core archival competencies, gaining professional skills, and tapping into their unique interests and goals.

We strive to integrate the following core archival competencies throughout the internship to give interns a well-rounded understanding of the profession.

Core Competencies

Ethics and values of the archival profession

  • Interns learn about the profession’s ethics and values and how they inform decision making when identifying, preserving, and making documents accessible through professional resources, staff meetings, and during project check-ins.

Arrangement and description of records

  • Interns are exposed to theory, methods, and policies when processing small collections, participating in the creation of archival exhibits, culturally competent description projects, inventorying multimedia collections, and through staff interactions and suggested readings.

Preservation

  • Interns are introduced to the protection of documents through staff demonstrations, curated videos, and participating in preservation treatments.

Digital records and access systems

  • Interns are exposed to a variety of archival formats and will learn about different management systems to facilitate access to documents by participating in projects related to metadata, adding and correcting citations and hyperlinks, and user testing.

Outreach and advocacy

  • Interns participate in programs and projects that promote visibility and use of archives for a range of audiences through education outreach projects, social media campaigns, video creation, and participating in professional networking.

Intern Projects

Intern projects should complement the work being done at the organization. The interns should understand the purpose behind their assigned project and how it fits into the larger goals and workflows of the archive. Ideally, they should be able to see the project through from start to finish. It is usually reasonable to expect to complete two but no more than three projects.

Examples of projects interns are responsible for include:

  • Processing a small collection
  • Inventorying audiovisual materials
  • Metadata work for a small digital collection
  • Archival research for a reference or outreach project
  • Creating limited-duration social media campaign
  • Participating in user studies
  • Designing outreach products to promote a core activity of the organization

Phases of the Internship Program

The program is shaped by five phases to build a strong understanding of the day-to-day workings of an archive, set clear project goals, develop working relationships, support professional skill development, and make space for reflection in a scaffolded manner.

The aim of the five phases is to provide a well-paced, transparent, and structured experience for the interns. Following their internship, the interns join the RAC-CCNY Alumni Network, which was created to encourage continued engagement and support among the current and former interns and the archival community.

Phase 1: Internship Prep (2 weeks)

The internship supervisor begins communication with the intern and prepares for their first working day.

  • The RAC supervisor begins communication with the intern and with the CCNY partner work with interns to determine a work schedule.
  • An announcement is made to staff introducing the intern.
  • Staff meet-and-greets are scheduled so that the intern can learn about the work of each archival team.
  • Intern and supervisor weekly check-ins are scheduled.
  • Technology and workspace are prepared for the intern.

Phase 2: Intern Inclusion (2 weeks)

The interns are introduced to the organization’s daily workflow, communication channels, and learn more about their role at the RAC.

  • Communication channels are reviewed, and the interns are introduced to one another.
  • Links are sent to the interns ahead of check-in meetings, and during the first two check-ins the supervisor and interns review and discuss the RAC’s social media platforms, websites, past interns’ blog posts, and org chart.
  • The interns watch a video on archival security and are provided with optional readings about the archival profession and practices.
  • Interns are introduced to best practices and procedures for handling different types of archival documents.
  • The Internship Expectations Write-Up is the first action item due. The write-up gives the supervisor additional insight into what the interns hope to contribute and take away from their internship experience.
  • Interns tour the physical space.
  • During this period, it is established whether the internship will also serve as college credit.
  • Supervisor and intern review daily reflection exercise: Interns are asked to carve out 20 minutes at the end of each working day to reflect on their work, interactions, and to identify anything that needs clarification. They are also asked to include any questions they have. The supervisor is sent the reflection at the end of the working day, and they address any questions included in the reflection. They are also able to use the reflection as a guide for the next check-in meeting.
  • Intern participates in meet-and-greets with each archival team, where they learn about different staff members’ backgrounds and roles at the organization.

Phase 3: Intern Independence (8 weeks)

When the third phase begins, the interns’ routines have been established and they take on professional responsibilities in a more proactive manner.

  • Interns work on time management skills as they are now assigned 2-3 projects they will see through during their semester.
  • Interns view “RAC 101” videos, which provide a deep dive into the work done by the Collections Management team. Areas of activity include donor relations, preservation, and vault management. Interns should take notes and be ready with questions for the team when they meet for a roundtable discussion with the Collections Management team.
  • Interns create a schedule for their assigned projects that takes into account check-ins, staff meetings, and reflection exercises.
  • Interns document their project workflows for the supervisor and future interns who will work on similar projects.
  • Interns independently reach out to staff members with follow-up questions about projects, their roles and responsibilities, or general professional questions.

Phase 4: Intern Reflection and Review (2 weeks)

The interns wrap up assigned projects, share their experiences, and reflect on how the internship has prepared them for future professional opportunities.

  • Interns work on reflection blog posts that are published on Bits & Bytes, the Rockefeller Archive Center’s blog.
  • Interns meet with the Director of Archives and Director of Research and Education to debrief and give feedback about their experiences.
  • RAC supervisor meets with CCNY partner to debrief.
  • Supervisor fills out college credit documentation and provides professional association contacts and suggestions.
  • Supervisor writes letters of references for interns.

Phase 5: Internship Reset (1 week)

Immediately following the current internship cycle, the supervisor wraps up any necessary technical requirements, prepares guidelines for the next cycle, and communicates with CCNY about publicizing and scheduling the next round of interviews.